Method and apparatus for providing coupling train action and alignment control for railway vehicles

ABSTRACT

A coupling, train action and alignment control apparatus generally for articulated vehicles and particularly for railway vehicles. The apparatus includes a sill structure directly connectable to an underframe of a railway vehicle including a first side wall for projecting normally downward with respect to the underframe, a second side wall projecting normally downward with respect to the underframe and extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with the first side wall, and a buff backstop means projecting normally downward from the underframe between and spanning the first and second side walls at a buff end thereof. Draft stop means are connected within the sill to the side walls at the draft end thereof. A coupling bar having a shank end is extended into the draft end of the sill. A mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly is positioned within the sill at the draft end and is pivotally connected to the shank end of the coupling bar for axially cushioning both buff and draft forces imparted thereto and generally axially aligning the central longitudinal axis of adjacent railway vehicles. A hydraulic cushioning assembly is positioned within the sill and is axially connected to the buff backstop and the mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly for cushioning in series with the mechanical cushioning assembly both buff and draft forces imparted by the coupling bar during coupling and run-in and runout train action events and for permitting axial travel of the mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly to assist in alignment of the railway

United States Patent [191 Mosier eta s.

[ Aug. 6, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING COUPLING TRAIN ACTION AND ALIGNMENT CONTROL FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES [75] Inventors: John E. Mosier; Jack G.

Stephenson, both of Duncan, Okla.

[73] Assignee: Halliburton Company, Duncan,

Okla.

[22] Filed: Jan. 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 327,997

Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John H. Tregoning [57] ABSTRACT A coupling, train action and alignment control apparatus generally for articulated vehicles and particularly for railway vehicles. The apparatus includes a sill structure directly connectable to an underframe of a railway vehicle including a first side wall for projecting normally downward with respect to the underframe, a second side wall projecting normally downward with respect to the underframe and extending in a spaced parallelposture coextensively with the first side wall, and a buff backstop means projecting normally downward from the underframe between and spanning the first and second side walls at a buff end thereof. Draft stop means are connected within the sill to the side walls at the draft end thereof. A coupling bar having a shank end is extended into the draft end of the sill. A mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly is positioned within the sill at the draft end and is pivotally connected to the shank end of the coupling bar for axially cushioning both buff and draft forces imparted thereto and generally axially aligning the central longitudinal axis of adjacent railway vehicles. A hydraulic cushioning assembly is positioned within the sill and is axially connected to the buff backstop and the mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly for cushioning in series with the mechanical cushioning assembly both buff and draft forces imparted by the coupling bar during coupling and run-in and run-out train action events and for permitting axial travel of the mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly to assist in alignment of the railway vehicles.

24 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDMIB 61914 SL827} 575 SHEU Z of 5 ma n I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING COUPLING TRAIN ACTION AND ALIGNMENT CONTROL FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES INDEX OF THE SPECIFICATION ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION PRINCIPAL OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS MECHANICAL CUSHIONING AND ALIGN- MENT CONTROL ASSEMBLY Mechanical Cushioning Alignment Control Assembly FLUID IMPEDANCE SYSTEM General Structure Run-In and Coupling Shock Control Run In Control Coupling Control Run-Out and Restoring Control OVERALL MODE OF OPERATION OF COU- PLING ASSEMBLY SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing coupling, train action and alignment control for articulated vehicles. More particularly this invention pertains to a method and apparatus for providing coupling, train action and alignment control for railway locomotive vehicles.

Diesel-electric locomotives and similar power units are conventionally provided with car couplers which are axially connected to short stroke rubber draft gears for cushioning. The short stroke is dictated by clearance considerations so as not to interfere with the power truck mountings and the like of the locomotive.

Short stroke rubber draft gears, while being the standard of the industry for locomotives, have a limited capacity as cushioning devices to handle impact loads such as often encountered during a coupling operation. As a consequence locomotive coupling is now limited to approximately two miles per hour or less in order to minimize the possibility of damage to the locomotive coupling and/or underframe structure. Slow speed coupling, while preserving the equipment, is annoyingly time consuming and ultimately economically undesirable.

It would therefore be highly to provide a coupling apparatus for locomotive units wherein coupling speed may be safely increased up to 100 percent or more.

Not only, however, do the presently existent locomotive cushioning devices provide only a limited degree of coupling control, but there remains a substantial problem of coping with dynamic train action events. In this connection train action events may be defined as a phenomenon which occurs as a consequence of the existence of slack in couplings between moving railway units. Such slack enables the units, in motion, to undergo relative movement. Thus, train action denotes the equalizing of speed of adjacent units which have undergone relative movement. A train action event is termed a run-out where adjacent units are moving apart. Where adjacent units are converging, the train action event is termed a run-in.

There are several undesirable aspects associated with train'action phenomena. While train action is occurring crewmen experience an undesirable floating sensation. At the termination of train action events shock forces are transmitted to coupling units and railway units. Often these shock forces are transmitted in a more or less wave form throughouta train. Such train action induced shock forces are often severe enough to both damage goods carried by a train and cause injury to train crewmen. Indeed train action induced shock forces may in some instances be severe enough to induce derailment.

The problems involved in coping with train action run-in events and coupling impact loads are particularly aggravated and seemingly mutually inconsistent from the standpoint of solution.

The greatest forces ordinarily imposed upon a coupling are those encountered in a railway yard where a unit is moving at relatively low speed and abruptly engages another unit for coupling purposes. In order to absorb the high level shock generated during such coupling operations it is necessary that a cushioning device have a capacity to move relatively rapidly and dissipate large amounts of energy on a fairly uniform basis.

However, when a train is in motion and relatively lower level forces are acting on the coupling units so as to tend to induce a run-in phenomenon, i.e., induced convergence of coupling units, the requisites of the cushioning device necessary to absorb high level coupling shock are self defeating. In this connection, when the coupling unit is designed to move rapidly enough to absorb coupling shock, its capacity to later impede slow coupling movement so as to control run-in events is severely restricted.

Conversely, if the cushioning mechanism is designed to impede coupler movement to an extent sufficient to control run-in" events, the cushioning device will be unusable to effectively absorb high energy coupling shock.

A somewhat similar problem is occasioned in connection with coping with train action run-out events. In this connection it will be appreciated that during run-out" it would be desirable to induce substantial impedance to separating motion of railway units and thus minimize train action phenomena during runout. However, it is also desirable to maintain a cushioning unit in a preferred mode in a position ready to accommodate buff coupling forces. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a cushioning system with a resilient restoring mechanism to move the coupling unit in a draft direction. During the restoring operation it will be appreciated that it is undesirable to substantially impede relative movement of the cushioning mechanism. Therefore design considerations in terms of coping with run-out events and restoring the cushioning units to a preferred posture are again self-defeating.

For controlling train action phenomena reference may be had to a United States Stephenson et al. Pat. No. 3,589,527 issued June 29, 1971 and assigned to the assignee of the subject application. Notwithstanding, however, the merits of the coupling assembly described in the above referenced Stephenson et al patent, room for improvement remains particularly in connection with coupling locomotive units.

In addition to the above outlined difficulties associated with coupling and train action events in railway vehicles, diesel-electric locomotives and similar units present a still further problem. More specifically a relatively long overhang typically exists in a locomotive. This overhang is measured from the center of a truck of the unit to the coupling line of an adjacent car coupler. In typical power units the longitudinal distance between the fore and aft truck centers is materially less than that for freight cars while the overall length of the locomotive unit is substantially greater. The long overhang, in combination with the previously noted short coupler length, so as not to interfere with power truck mountings, causes the power units to frequently assume a condition of misalignment during pusher service or sustained dynamic braking operations.

Misalignment has a tendency to precipitate numerous deleterious effects such as heated journal bearings hot box," spreading of railway rails, and excessive wheel flange and/or rail head wear. Indeed in some instances of prolonged and severe misalignment, the possibility of derailment becomes a serious consideration.

At least one previously known alignment control assembly for railway vehicles of the locomotive type is specifically disclosed in a United States Metzger Pat. No. 2,754,578, issued July 17, 1956. Alignment control assemblies such as disclosed in the Metzger patent are currently believed to be the standard of the industry for locomotives. Notwithstanding, however, the successes of previous alignment control assemblies, room for significant improvement remains.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for coupling, train action and alignment control for articulated vehicles which will obviate or minimize problems of the type previously described.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for increasing the permissible coupling speed of railway locomotive vehicles without damaging the vehicles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for enhancing train action run-in control for railway locomotive vehicles.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for enhancing train action run-out" control for railway locomotive vehicles.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for enhancing alignment control for railway locomotive vehicles.

It is yet still a further object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for combining hydraulic and mechanical cushioning units in series whereby further cushioning in either draft or buff may be provided after the hydraulic cushioning has been spent.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for compactly providing within a short stroke unit combined mechanical and hydraulic cushioning wherein both the mechanical and hydraulic units are operable in both buff and draft directions.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for combining in series hydraulic and mechanical cushioning units both of which are operable in the buff and draft directions wherein the possibility of overtravel of either of the mechanical or hydraulic units in either direction is eliminated.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for minimizing train action events between railway vehicles wherein a high impedance is provided to both run-in and run-out" train action events while a lower impedance is provided to coupling forces and restoring forces.

It is yet still another object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for combining in series a hydraulic and mechanical cushioning assembly in a short stroke unit including a restoring mechanism all positionable in a compact and highly efficient manner within a railway vehicle sill.

It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for compactly and completely enhousing series connected hydraulic and mechanical cushioning assemblies which will be protected from becoming clogged with foreign objects and which will be readily removable for servicing.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method and apparatus for providing coupling, train action and alignment control for articulated vehicles intended to accomplish at least some of the foregoing objects comprises a cushioning apparatus including a sill assembly directly connectable to and longitudinally alignable with the underframe of a railway vehicle. The sill assembly includes a first side wall operable for projecting normally downwardly from the underframe of the railway unit, a second side wall operable for projecting normally downwardly from the underframe of the railway unit and extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with the first side wall, and a buff backstop means operable for projecting normally downwardly from the underframe of a railway unit and extending between and spanning the first and second side walls at a buff end thereof. Draft stop tabs are connected within the sill side walls at the draft end of the sill assembly.

A coupling bar having a shank portion is extended into the draft end of the sill and is pivotally connected to a mechanical cushioning and alignment means positioned for translation within the sill assembly. The mechanical cushioning and alignment means is operable for axially cushioning both buff and draft forces imparted thereto by the coupling bar and for generally axially aligning the coupling bar, pivotally connected thereto, with the axis of the sill assembly. A hydraulic cushioning means is extended within the sill assembly and is axially connected between the buff backstop means and the mechanical cushioning and alignment means for cushioning in series with the mechanical cushioning means buff and draft forces imparted thereto for facilitating coupling, train action and alignment control for railway vehicles.

A method intended to accomplish at least some of the foregoing objects includes the steps of providing, in response to buff coupling forces acting on a railway vehicle, a first low level of impedance in a hydraulic cushioning means and axial cushioning in a mechanical cushioning unit connected in series with the hydraulic cushioning means; further providing, in response to train action run-in forces acting on a railway vehicle, a second high level of impedance in the hydraulic cushioning means and axial cushioning in the mechanical cushioning means acting in series with the hydraulic cushioning means; additionally providing, in response to train acton run-out forces acting on a railway vehicle an impedance in the hydraulic cushioning means higher than an impedance during a restoring action and axial cushioning in a mechanical cushioning means acting in series with the hydraulic cushioning means. Finally the method includes providing, in response to locomotive misalignment, pivotal restoring force from the alignment means and axial translatory capacity by the hydraulic cushioning means for permitting the alignment means to axially translate during an aligning action.

THE DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side-elevational view of a pair of diesel-electric locomotives coupled together as is standard practice for towing a long articulated train of vehicles;

FIG. 2, note sheet 2, is a plan view ofa railway locomotive cushioning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in a draft position wherein portions are partially broken away to disclose detailed structural aspects of the subject invention;

FIG. 3, note sheet 3, is a plan view of the railway locomotive cushioning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, in buff, wherein portions have been broken away to disclose structural details of the subject invention;

FIG. 4, note sheet 4 is a side-elevational view of the railway locomotive cushioning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, in buff, wherein portions thereof have been broken away to disclose detailed views of the subject invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 55 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7, note sheet 1, is a schematic plan view of misaligned articulated units and a resulting aligning coupled provided by the subject invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of railway cushioning units according to a preferred embodiment of the invention connected together and being disclosed in a slight misaligned posture;

FIG. 9, note sheet 2, is a segmental detailed view of check valve means of the subject invention for permitting flow between a low pressure fluid cavity and a high pressure fluid cavity but preventing reverse flow from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity;

FIG. 10, note sheet 3, is a schematic illustration of port positions through the high pressure cylinder wall according to an exponential pattern;

FIG. 11, note sheet 5, provides an enlarged, elevational and sectional view of a valve mechanism incorporated within each port disclosed in FIG. 10, which valve mechanism is operable to control fluid flow through said cylinder ports during relative movement of the hydraulic cushioning unit. The valve components are shown in FIG. 11 in a relaxed or normal condition, i.e., with no fluid forces acting on the components;

FIG. 12 illustrates the components of the FIG. 11 assembly as the components are disposed during an outflow of fluid from the inner cylinder of the FIG. 2 cushioning mechanism so as to control run-in train action events;

FIG. 13 illustrates the components of the FIG. 11 assembly as the components are disposed during an outflow of fluid from the inner cylinder of the FIG. 2 hydraulic unit in response to coupling shock acting on the coupling member;

FIG. 14 provides a transverse sectional view of the FIG. 11 assembly as viewed along section line 1414 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 provides a transverse sectional view of the FIG. 11 assembly as viewed along section line 1515 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 provides a transverse sectional view of the FIG. 11 assembly as viewed along section line 16-16 in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 17 provides an enlarged transversely sectioned view of a valve mechanism mounted at the draft end of the inner hydraulic cylinder of the FIG. 2 hydraulic unit and which serves to control run-out train action events.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS With reference now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof there will be seen a pair of conventional diesel-electric locomotives of the types used for pulling a made up articulated train. More particularly a lead locomotive 20 is connected to a slave locomotive 22 by the provision of a coupling assembly as an 24.

Individual diesel-electric locomotive units 20 and 22 do not form a part of the invention and are merely intended to be representative of such units which typically are provided with an engineer cab 26 which includes various operating controls and an engine control panel. The main body portions 28 of the locomotives are primarily provided with a diesel engine which drives a traction generator of the type which then drives traction motors connected to the wheels 30 of the units. The diesel-electric units are each provided at the front end thereof with a coupling unit 32 and a reversely positioned coupling unit 34 at the rear end thereof so that a conventional inner lock coupling may be made as at 24.

Turning now specifically to FIGS. 2-4 there will be seen detailed structural views of a railway cushioning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. More specifically a sill structure 40 is provided having a first side wall 42 generally downwardly extending with respect to a railway locomotive or car underframe 44. The sill 40 is also provided with a second side wall which extends downwardly from the car or locomotive underframe 44 and in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with respect to the first side wall 42. The bottom of the sill 40 is completely enclosed by a carrier plate 52 which may be removably connected to the sill side walls 42 and 50 by the provision of conventional threaded fasteners 54 extending through edges of the carrier plate 52 and flanges 56 connected to the lowermost exterior surface of the sill side walls.

At a buff end 60 of the sill 40 a buff backstop and draft anchor member 62 is transversely interposed between the first and second side walls 42 and 50 and fixedly welded thereto for closing the buff end of the sill. The other or draft end 64 of the sill 40 is provided with draft stops 66 and 68 normally projecting inwardly from the first and second sill walls respectively.

A cushioning housing 70 is mounted for translation in slidable abutting contact with the sill side walls 42 and 50 and between the draft stops 66, 68 and the buff backstop 62. The cushioning housing 70 includes a mechanical cushioning and alignment cavity 72 and a hydraulic cushioning cavity 74.

Positioned within the mechanical cushioning and alignment cavity 72 is a mechanical cushioning and aligning assembly 80 which will be discussed in detail hereinafter. Positioned within the hydraulic cavity 74 is a hydraulic cushioning assembly 90 which will also be discussed in detail hereinafter.

A plurality of compression springs 92 extend in abutting contact with the buff backstop member 62 and within cylindrical cavities 94 fashioned into the housing 70 for abutment against the housing at the base'of the cylindrical cavities 94 as at 96. The compression springs 92 providing a continual bias upon the housing 70 to urge the housing into abutting contact with the draft stop means 66 and 68, such as particularly illus-' trated in FIG. 2. This posture is the normal restored condition of the subject cushioning assembly and will be achieved automatically absent the imposition of exterior forces.

A conventional draw bar or coupler bar 98 is positioned at the draft end 64 of the sill 40 and is provided with a shank 100 which projects over a bearing plate 102 into the draft end of the housing 70. The coupler bar is pivotally connected to the mechanical cushioning and alignment assembly 80 and is thus ultimately connected to the underframe 44 of the railway unit through the series connected mechanical and hydraulic cushioning assemblies 80 and 90 respectively.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the subject cushioning'assembly, including the restoring mechanism, is highly compact and enclosed within the sill structure and is therefore protected from becoming clogged with dirt and foreign objects which may impede advantageous functioning. Further it will be appreciated that by merely unbolting the carrier plate 52 the housing 70 including the mechanical and hydraulic units may be dropped out for easy servicing and/or replacement.

MECHANICAL CUSHIONING AND ALIGNMENT CONTROL ASSEMBLY Mechanical Cushioning Referring again specifically to FIGS. 2-5, there will be seen a mechanical cushioning unit 80 positioned within the mechanical cushioning and alignment cavity 72 which is formed generally at the draft end of the housing 70 by the provision of first and second inwardly extending abutment ledges 104 and 106, re-

Axially positioned between the first and second follower plates 110 and 112 is a solid rubber cushioning member 116 which is designed with an axial dimension to resiliently maintain the first and second follower plate 110 and 112 in abutment with the first and second abutment ledges 104 and 106 respectively. While the resilient member 116 has been disclosed as preferably comprising a unit of solid rubber it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a laminated arrangement of rubber and metallic spacers may be utilized if desired. Further, it will be appreciated that a mechanical friction draft gear may be substituted for the rubber cushioning unit.

A cylindrical spacer cylinder 114 attached to the first follower plate 110 coaxially surrounds the cushioning member 116 but is of a lesser axial extent, thus permitting cushioned relative motion of said first follower plate toward said second follower plate and vice versa in response to buff and draft loading respectively.

In this connection buff and draft loading is imparted to the mechanical draft gear 108 by the provision of an encompassing yoke 118 which surrounds the mechanical draft gear, extends toward the draft end of the housing and terminates in apertured arms 120 and 122. The draw bar or coupler bar 98 is provided as previously mentioned with a shank which has an aperture 124 in the end thereof suitable for alignment with apertures 126 and 128 in the yoke arms and 122, respectively. A pivot pin 130 extends through the aligned apertures 124, 126 and 128 to pivotally connect the shank 100 of the draw bar 98 to the yoke 118 for angular pivoting movement upon the bearing plate 102.

A thrust block 132 is interposed between the inward end of the shank 100 and a compatibly dimensioned normal projection 134 extending from the first follower plate 104.

In the event that buff forces are transmitted into the coupling bar 98 such forces will be passed through the thrust block 132 into the first follower plate 104. The follower plate will then move to the left as viewed in FIG. 2 to compress the cushioning means 116. Maximum mechanical buff cushioning is realized just before the spacer cylinder 114 goes solid with the second follower 112. In such event no more cushioning may be achieved by the mechanical cushioning unit in buff.

In the event draft forces are occasioned on the coupling bar 98 the shank 100 will pull the coupler pin 130 to the right as viewed in FIG. 2. The yoke 118 will thus be pulled to the right and a bight portion thereof 136 will engage the second follower plate 112 and pull the follower to the right. The resilient cushioning means 116 will thus be compressed between the second and first follower until the second follower goes solid with the cylindrical spacer 114. At this point in time no further mechanical cushioning action may be achieved by the mechanical cushioning member in draft.

Of course, once the buff and draft forces are relieved from the couple bar, the cushioning means 116 will automatically restore the first and second follower plate into abutment with the first and second abutting ledges of the housing 70.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the subject mechanical cushioning mechanism is suitable to cushion both buff and draft forces occurring in the coupler 98 and the spacer 114 is suitable to prevent over-travel of the cushioning member in either buff or draft. Alignment Control Assembly Before proceeding with a detailed discussion of the structure of the alignment control assembly reference may be had to FIG. 7 wherein first and second 22 railway locomotive units are schematically disclosed in a misaligned condition. In this connection the center line of the railway track is represented by dash line 140. The center line 142 of the first locomotive 20, i.e., the line passing through the pivot point 144 of the rear locomotive truck and the pivot point 146 of the locomotive coupler 34, is pivoted counterclockwise with respect to the track line 140. In a like manner the center line 148 of the second locomotive 22, i.e. the line passing through the front truck pivot point 150 and the pivot point 152 of coupling member 32, is also rotated counterclockwise vis-a-vis the track line 140. A coupling line 154 between the locomotive units passes normally through a line 156 connecting coupler pivot points 146 and 152 of the first and second locomotives respectively.

It will be appreciated that in the event of such misaligned posture and a pushing motion, as indicated by arrow A, of the second locomotive on the first locomotive several undesirable complications may arise. Examples of such complications include heating ofjournal bearings, spreading of the rails, excessive wheel flange wear, excessive rail head wear, and in some instances derailment.

By provision of the subject invention, the line of pushing force is transferred from that of 156 extending through the pivot points of the coupling members 32 and 34 to a line of force 158. The significant advantage to transferring pusher force from line 156 to line 158 is that line 158 acts on the opposite side of the truck pivot points 144 and 150. Therefore clockwise couples B and C will be created which will pivot the first locomotive 20 about pivot 144 in a clockwise direction and in a similar manner pivot the second locomotive 22 about the truck pivot point 150 in a clockwise direction until the units 20 and 22 are brought into substantial mutual axial alignment.

The structure for achieving alignment control is specifically disclosed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 8 of the drawings. More specifically, laterals 160 are fashioned on either side of the coupling bar shank 100 laterally outwardly from approximately the pivot point of the coupler. Thrust transmitting plungers 162 and 164 are positioned on opposite sides of thrust block 132. The thrust plungers 162 and 164 extend between the first follower plate 110 of the mechanical cushioning unit to a position of adjacency with the abutments 160. Thus in the event two adjacent railway units become misaligned with the first unit becoming canted in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the second unit as depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8, thrust between the units will be transferred from line 156 intersecting the pivot points of the coupling assemblies to line 158 extending between opposite abutments 160. As a consequence, and as previously discussed, continued pushing force of the units will create aligning couples to automatically realign the first and second railway units. Such alignment structure, as previously mentioned, is disclosed in a US. Metzger Pat. No. 2,754,578.

The foregoing realignment structure and procedure is facilitated by the provision of a series mounted hydraulic cushioning unit which permits the mechanical aligning members to axially translate within their respective sills 40, in a manner which will be discussed in detail hereinafter. For the present, however, the advantage provided by this translation may be appreciated by reference to FIG. 7. In this connection if points 144 and 150, i.e., the pivot points of the first and second locomotives respectively and the respective coupler pivot points 146 and 152 are maintained in a fixed longitudinal relative position, it will be impossible for the units 20 and 22 to align themselves even with the provision of the foregoing described mechanical alignment assemblies.

Alignment, however, may be achieved if the pivot points 146 and 152 are permitted to axially translate toward respective railway unit pivot points 144 and as is possible with the incorporation of a translating housing 70 within the sill structure 40 of each unit.

FLUID IMPEDANCE SYSTEM General Structure Hydraulic cushioning means 90 divide the hydraulic cushioning cavity 74 of the housing 70 into an outer relatively low pressure cavity 166 and an inner relatively high pressure cavity 168. More specifically, an outer peripheral wall 170 is fashioned integrally with the housing 70. The wall 170 is provided with a first inwardly directed end wall 172 at the buff end of the housing and a second inwardly directed wall 174 formed integrally with the abutment ledge 106 of the housing. A high pressure cylinder wall 176 is coaxially positioned within the outer wall 170 and is of greater radial thickness than the outer wall 170. The walls 170, 172, 174 and 176 form the outer peripheral low pressure chamber 166.

The inner cylinder wall 176 forms an inner high pressure cavity 168 and is provided with a first end wall 178 at the buff end of the housing 70 which is united to the first end wall 172 of the outer cylinder by a peripheral weldment 180. The other end of the high pressure cylindrical wall 176 is fitted with a second end wall 182 whichis connected to the second end wall 174 of the lower pressure cavity 166.

I In order to provide fluid communication from the low pressure cavity 166 to the high pressure cavity 168, a plurality of passages 188 are formed through the first inner cylinder end wall 178 and a similar plurality of passages 190 are formed through the second inner cylinder end wall 182. A check valve ring 192 is disposed about the interior surface of the first and second inner cylindrical wall members to provide one way fluid communications between the high and low pressure cavities.

The check valve ring 192, note FIG. 9, is provided with rods 194 which coaxially extend into the passages 188 and 190 and terminate with a retaining washer 196. Spring biasing means 198 extend between the washers 196 and end walls 200 of the passages 188 or 190 so that the rods 194, and thus the peripheral check valve ring 192, is biased into a closed position.

It will be appreciated therefore that fluid flowing from the outer low pressure cavity 166 may pass through the high volume passages 188 or 190 and pass the check valve ring 192 into the high pressure cavity 168. However, high pressure fluid within the inner cylindrical cavity 168 will be blocked from flowing through the passages 188 and 190 to the outer low pressure cylindrical cavity.

For a more detailed discussion of the structure and mode of operation of a check valve assembly suitable for use with the subject invention reference may be had to a U.S. Blake Pat. No. 2,944,68l issued July 22, 1957. The disclosure of the Blake patent is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth at length.

Mounted for reciprocation within the interior of the high pressure cylindrical cavity 168 is a piston head 200. In order to intimately engage the interior peripheral walls of the high pressure cylinder 176, the piston head 200 is provided with a peripheral sealing gland 202. A piston rod 204 is integrally connected to one face 206 of the piston head 200 and extends through the first inner cylindrical wall 178 through an alignment bushing 102 and a chevron packing assembly 208 into an anchor assembly 210 positioned within the buff backstop and draft anchor member 62.

The-anchor assembly 210 includes a bearing head 212 threadedly connected to the outer end of the piston rod 204 and is provided with an outwardly projecting spherical segment surface 214 and an inwardly projecting spherical segment surface 216. A first bearing plate 218 is provided having one face 220 abutting against an outer wall of the buff backstop member 62 and an inner spherical segmental inwardly projecting surface 222 dimensioned for intimate engagement with the outwardly projecting spherical segmental surface 214. A second bearing plate 224 is provided having an outer face 226 abutting with the buff backstop and draft anchor member 62 and an inward face 228 having an inwardly projecting spherical segmental surface for abutting contact with the outwardly projecting spherical segmental surface 216 of the bearing head 212. By the provision of the foregoing anchoring assembly 210 it will be appreciated that axial movement of the rod 204 is fixed; however, non-axial stresses in the rod 204 may be relieved by slight pivotal movement within the anchor assembly.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is as disclosed and comprises the hydraulic cylinder being integral with housing 70 and the piston rod fixedly anchored within the buff backstop 62 it will be appreciated that this relationship may be reversed if desired so that the cylinder is fixed against the buff backstop and the piston rod is connected to the mechanical cushioning unit for translation therewith.

Run-In and Buff Shock Control System In order to cushion relative movement of the housing 70 within the sill 40 a plurality of metering ports 230 are fashioned through the high pressure cylinder wall 176, note FIGS. 2 and 10. The ports are formed between the outer face 230 of the cylinder head 200, in the full draft position, and the inner surface of the second inner cylinder wall member 182 and are exponentially spaced to impede movement of the piston head 200 with respect to the high pressure cylinder during buff movement of the cylinder.

FIG. is a schematic representation of the center line of the plurality of exponentially spaced ports P P The exponential spacing herein referred to corresponds to that described, for example, in U.S. Seay Pat. No. 3,301,410 issued Jan. 31, 1967. In this connection, with the metering orifices spaced exponentially, kinetic energy is absorbed uniformly throughout the stroke of the apparatus, thus pressure Within the working cylinder and the force applied to the apparatus approach uniform and minimum values throughout the stroke. As a result, minimum accelerations are imparted to the system cushioned by the apparatus.

In one specific embodiment of the apparatus, passages P P are dimensioned to be five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter when the diameter of the inner high pressure cylinder 176 is approximately 12 inches and the piston head stroke is approximately 4 inches. Under these circumstances, the exponentially spaced ports P -P are spaced from the forward surface 230 of the piston head 200 positioned, in full draft position, in a direction measured longitudinally toward the second cylinder head 182, in accordance with the following tabulation:

Port

PEPPPPEEP While the ports P P have been shown in longitudinal alignment, such illustration is for convenience only and in actuality the ports may be circumferentially spaced, note FIG. 6, about the high pressure cylinder 176 as desired, provided the axial dimensioning as noted above is maintained.

Run-In Control In order to provide a first impedance through the ports P -P. when coupling buff forces are encountered and a second high level impedance in ports P -P when train action run-in forces are encountered each of the ports P -P is preferably fitted with a control valve 300 such as schematically illustrated in FIG. 6 and specifically illustrated in FIGS. 11-16. Control valve 300 is substantially the same as the run-in control valve described in U.S. Stephenson Pat. No. 3,589,528 issued Aug. 14, I968. The disclosure of this Stephenson patent is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth at length.

The basic structure and functioning, however, of the control valve 300 comprises a generally cylindrical body 302. A threaded coupling 304 serves to threadedly secure the valve 300 to the exterior of the wall 176 in a radially extending alignment with respect to the central axis of the high pressure cylinder and in coaxial disposition with an associated port. The valve 300 illustrated in FIGS. 11 through 16 is shown in association with any one of the fluid ports in the exponential series 230.

As shown in FIG. 6 the various valves 300 are arranged so as to project into the enlarged portions of the cavities 166, wherever maximum space is available.

Returning to the basic structure of valve 300, each valve includes a reciprocable, generally cylindrical, spool valve member 306. Each such spool valve member includes a generally cylindrical body portion 308 having a closed, radially outermost, extremity 310. A plurality of radially extending ports 312 intersect the cylindrical wall portion 308, immediately beneath the end wall 310. In the embodiment characterised by the dimensions above-noted, four ports 312 are provided.

The end 314 of valve 306, facing the central axis of the high pressure cylinder, is open as shown in FIG. 11.

Each reciprocable valve further includes a generally annular rimlike piston 316 which may be termed, or included in the term valve closing means. This piston extends radially outwardly from cylinder wall 308, generally adjacent the free end 314.

An annular shoulder or ledge 320 is formed on the outer periphery of cylindrical wall 308. Ledge 320 faces generally axially, toward the head portion 310 of valve 306.

A valve body cap 322 closes the outermost end of the valve body 302, and telescopingly receives the cylindrical wall 308. As illustrated, closure cap 322 may be disclike in structure. Closure 322 is provided with a central aperture 324 through which cylindrical wall portion 308 reciprocates.

Closure 322 provides an annular abutment 326 extending radially outwardly from a cylindrical cap surface 328, which surface defines aperture 324. With abutment 320 engaged with abutment 326, the main valve ports 312 are positioned so as to clear, i.e., be spaced outwardly from, the outer extremity 330 of closure 322.

Valve 300 is biased outwardly of the central axis of the high pressure cylinder so as to bring the abutment 320 into engagement with abutment 326 by a coil spring 332. This spring 332 abuttingly engages an annular recess or seat 334 formed in the free end 314 of the valve wall 308.

As shown in FIG. 11, closure 322 cooperates with a radially extending valve body wall 336 and a cylindrical body wall 338 to define a generally annular cylinderlike cavity 340. Valve piston 316 is operable to reciprocate through cavity 340.

Port means 318 provide, by way of port P, fluid communication between the high pressure cavity and the zone 341 of cavity 340 which is disposed between the closure 322 and the piston 316.

A plurality of ports 342 intersect the generally hexagonal base wall 344 of valve body 302, immediately adjacent, but radially outwardly of, the cylinder end wall 336. Port means 342 thus serve to provide fluid communication between the low pressure cavity 166 and the portion 343 of cylinder cavity 340 disposed between piston 316 and valve body wall 336.

Thus, piston 316 is biased inwardly toward the central axis of the high pressure cylinder by the pressure of fluid within the cavity 168. Piston 316 is biased radially outwardly, away from the central axis of the low pressure cylinder means by a generally low pressure fluid within cavity 166.

Thus, when the higher pressure of fluid within cavity 168, acting through port means 318 on piston 316, overcomes both the spring biasing of spring 332, and the fluid pressure of cavity 166 transmitted through ports 342 to piston 316, the valve 302 will move radially inwardly to a closed valve position, i.e. the position shown in FIG. 12. In this closed valve position, the ports 312 are covered and substantially closed by surface 328. Surface 328 is disposed in generally telescoping and conforming relation with the outer periphery 346 of valve wall 308.

In this connection, however, it will be understood that the relationship between outer periphery 346 of valve 306 and surface 328 may not be such as to provide complete sealing, i.e., some limited leakage may take place. Indeed, with the valve disposed in the FIG. 12 position, a degree of leakage through the valve takes place which is on the order of one-tenth of the flow permitted by the valve in the open position shown in FIG. 11.

It will here be understood that the reaction surface 317 provided by the piston 316 in the zone 341 is sufficient to provide a net downward biasing operable to overcome both the biasing influence of spring 332, the biasing of fluid pressure in the zone 343, and any bias ing acting outwardly on the valve 306 as a result of a restricted flow through the ports 312.

The restoring or biasing force of spring 332 is of a relatively low magnitude such that the valve member 302 will move to the closed valve position during any runin train action phenomena. This results because the low velocity of piston 200 during run-in events is sufficient to generate enough pressure in cavity 168 and cavity 341 to induce closing movement of valve 306. Coupling Control Valve mechanism 300 includes a unique disabling device 350 which serves to maintain the valve 302 in an open position when the coupler bar 98 is subjected to impact forces of the type encountered during coupling operations. Such operations ordinarily occur in railway yards where trains are being assembled and one car is moved into engagement with another with sufficient force to induce interlatching of the coupler bars of the two cars involved.

Because of the severity of such coupler forces, it is highly desirable to maintain an immediately effective low level of impedance in the coupling unit operable to dissipate impact energy in a generally uniform manner and without excessively stressing the cylinder components of the mechanism. This low level of impedance is in contrast to the high level of impedance previously described which is attained during run-in" phenomena. The high level of impedance during run-in" phenomena is necessary in order to impede coupler movements where the level of forces acting on the coupler units is relatively low in comparison to those encountered during coupling operations.

The low level of impedance effected by the valve mechanism 300 will now be described with relation to FIGS. 11 and 13.

Disabling mechanism 350 comprises a sleeve 352 mounted for telescoping movement within the valve member 306. As shown, sleeve 352 is generally cylinderical in configuration and has an open upper end 354 as well as an open lower end 356. Ends 354 and 356 are connected by a relatively thin walled, or recessed, cylindrical wall portion 358.

Upper end 354 is telescopingly and slidably supported by cylindrical wall portion 360 of valve 306. The lower end 356 of sleeve 352 is telescopingly and slidably supported by a cylindrical wall portion 362 formed in the valve body 302.

Sleeve 352 is proved with a radially outwardly extending ledgelike flange 364. Flange 354 defines an abutment which engages the end 366 of coil spring 332, i.e., the end of this spring opposite to the end 368 which is engaged by the seat 334.

In the normal or neutral position of valve 300 shown in FIG. 11, the spring 332 biases the flange 364 radially inwardly toward the axis of cylinder means 168 so as to cause the flange 364 to abuttingly enage an annular seat 370 formed in the valve body 302. With the flange 364 engaged with the seat 370 the spring 332 is operable to resist radially inward movement of the valve member 306.

The biasing effect of spring 332, both with respect to sleeve 352 and valve member 306 may be caried by selecting a spring 332 of appropriate resilience. This biasing effect may also be varied in accordance with the degree of spring prestressing which is dependent upon the distance between the seat 334 and the ledge 364, when this ledge is engaged with the abutment 370.

When the coupler bar 98 is subjected to coupling forces or impacts, there will be a tendency for the piston 200 to move relatively rapidly within the cylinder cavity 168. This tendency to undergo rapid movement will generate a high pressure within the cavity zone 372, note FIG. 2, and tend to induce a relatively high velocity fluid flow, radially outwardly through the central passage 374 of the sleeve 352. The fluid flow, because of its relatively high velocity, will produce a substantial pressure drop longitudinally across the sleeve,

352. This pressure drop will overcome the biasing influence of the spring 332 and cause the sleeve 352 to move radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 176.

The outward movement of sleeve 352 will terminate when the outermost sleeve end 354 engages an annular abutment 376 formed in valve member 306. Abutment 376 comprises a generally radially extending wall projecting outwardly from a cylindrical wall 378. Cylindri cal wall 378, in essence, defines the inner surface of wall 308.

With the sleeve end 354 engaged with the abutment 376, this sleeve end 354 is operable to close the ports 318, i.e., substantially isolate piston 316 from fluid flowing through passage means P as shown in FIG. 13. With the ports 318 thus closed, the ability of the piston 316 to move the valve member 306 to a closed valve position is obviated.

Sleeve 352 is characterized by a substantially lower inertia factor that that possessed by the valve 306. This difference in inertia will tend to cause the sleeve 352 to move relatively rapidly to the FIG. 13 position, before fluid pressure is above to build up in the zone 341 and induce movement of the piston 316. Further, a high velocity flow through the passage 380 and through the central passage of the valve member 308, will tend to create a velocity reaction force acting on the valve head 310 so as to tend to hold the valve member 306 in its open position while the sleeve 352 is moving to its disabling position.

Once the valve 308 has moved to a closed valve position, it is unlikely that the sleeve 352 will be able to move radially outwardly to close the ports 318 so as to obviate the biasing influence of piston 316. The closing of ports 312 will probably prevent a flow of sufficient velocity through the passage 380 to induce movement of the sleeve 352. This valve characteristic, however, is not believed to be of adverse consequence because during run-in" phenomena, train action forces would not be expected to approach the magnitude of coupling forces so as to require that the ports 312 remain open.

In the system here described, it is contemplated that each of the valves 300 will be of identical configuration and operating characteristics. Thus, during run-in phenomena, each of the valves 300 associated individually with the ports P, through P should close more or less simultaneously, in response to run-in" phenomena.

However, it is recognized that under certain conditions it may be desirable to provide valves 300 which operate in sequence or at different times so as to provide progressive closing off or constricting of the ports.

It will also be recognized that the number of ports required to control run-in phenomena may vary, depending upon operating condtiions, and that the number of these ports which are valved may vary, depending upon operating criteria.

Run-Out and Restoring Control System The axial depth of the piston head 200 is preferably approximately 3 inches. Therefore, when the piston head 200 is placed in full buff, note FIGS. 3 and 4, all of the exponentially spaced ports P P will be covered. Therefore at least one further port 400 is positioned through the high pressure cylinder wall 176 at the draft end thereof, note FIG. 2.

In order for this port to provide a high impedance to draft forces occasioned by run-out train action events, and yet simultaneously permit and facilitate restoring of the piston heat 200 to the draft end of the high pressure cylinder by the restoring springs 92 a valve mechanism 402 is positioned within the port 400, note FIG. 17.

Control valve 402 is substantially the same as the run-out" control valve described in detail in US. Stephenson et a] Pat. No. 3,451,561 issued June 24, I969. The disclosure of this Stephenson et al patent is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forth at length.

In summary, control valve 402 is characterized by a generally cylindrical valve body 404. Valve body 404 is attached by threaded fastening means 406 to wall 176. When thus attached, valve body 404 extends generally coaxially of port 400, i.e., radially of the central axis of cylinder 176.

Control valve 402 includes a generally cylindrical valve member 408 mounted for telescoping movement within valve body 404. A coil spring 410, interposed between a valve body ledge 412 and a flange 414 carried by valve 408, serves to bias the valve member 408 radially inwardly with respect to the cylinder means 176. Inward movement of valve member 408 is limited by engagement of the flange 414 with a valve body ledge 416.

Valve member 408 is defined by a cylindrical wall 418 having an open upper end 420 and a closed lower end 422. One or more ports 424 intersect cylindrical wall 418 immediately adjacent the closed end 422.

With the valve member 408 disposed in the neutral position shown in FIG. 17, the flow controlling port means 424 are disposed in communicating relation with the cavity 168. When the valve member 408 is moved radially outwardly, by overcoming the biasing influence of spring 410, a cylindrical wall 426 of valve body 404 valves-off or closes the port means 424.

During run-out train action phenomena, fluid flowing from the cavity 168 through the port means 424, and thence through the valve passage 428, to the low pressure zone 166 will induce, i.e. insure or maintain, a substantial pressure drop across the closed valve head 422. This pressure differential may also be viewed as resulting, at least in part, from the difference in pressure between the zone 168 and the zone 166, resulting from movement of piston 200.

Regardless of the manner in which the pressure differential is explained, its existence will serve to induce radially outwardly movement of the valve 408 in response to run-out train action phenomena. This valve closing action will close off the port means, and thus provide a relatively high level of impedance operating against the piston 200 during run-out train action events.

When the restoring springs 92 is tending to move the cylinder 176 in a draft direction, i.e., restore the unit from a buff condition, the pressure differential acting across the valve 408 will not be sufficient to overcome the biasing influence of the spring 410. Thus, the valve 402 will remain open during the restoring action of springs 92 so as to provide a relatively low level of impedance operating against the piston 200 during this restoring action. This relatively low level of impedance will tend to ensure that the springs 92 are operable to effect rapid restoration of the cylinder to neutral position.

OVERALL MODE OF OPERATION OF COUPLING ASSEMBLY FIG. 2 depicts the coupling assembly of the subject invention in a normal unload condition with the housing 70 biased against the draft stops 66 and 68. This condition is that which would normally exist when the railway vehicle is standing idle or uncoupled.

During a coupling action where high level buff shock forces are imparted to the coupler 98 the mechanical draft gear 80 is free to axially compress to cushion the coupling shock. Further, the housing 70 will move from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 2, in response to the coupling shock forces imposed through the mechanical cushioning unit. Buff movement of the housing 70 is, to some extent, countered by the compression springs 92, but primarily is resisted through the provision of the hydraulic cushion unit 90. In this connection, the disabling means 350 of the valves 300 maintain the ports P -P in an open condition. This will result in the entire series of exponentially spaced ports 230 remaining open. The open ports will yield a substantially linear dissipation ofimpact energy with a relatively low impedance level presented to movement of the high pressure cylinder 176 with respect to the piston head 200.

The housing 70 will go solid against the buff backstop 62 before the piston head 200 reaches the second inner cylinder head. Therefore the hydraulic unit is protected against overtravel. Moreover the mechanical cushioning unit 80 may provide further axial cushioning until the cylinder 114 goes solid against the second follower plate 112. At this point further axial movement of the mechanical unit is preventedand thus, like the hydraulic unit, the mechanical unit is protected against overtravel.

Once a pair of railway units such as railway locomotives 20 and 22 havebeen coupled together the subject coupling assembly is operable to control and cushion run-in and run-out",train action events.

In the event run-in train action forces are encountered, such forces are first cushioned by the mechanical cushioning assembly 80. The mechanical assembly will also impart right to left buff motion on the housing 70. The valves 300 are automatically closed, note FIG. 12, and thus a high level impedance to fluid flow from the interior of the high pressure cylinder 168 is provided in each of the ports 230. This high sustained impedance serves to effectively resist run-in train action.

In the event run-in is extended over a sustained period of time, the high pressure-cylinder 176 will move to a complete buff position with respect to the piston 200, note FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the housing will go solid with the buff backstop 62, as previously mentioned, to protect the hydraulic unit against overtravel. Notwithstanding this solid posture of the housing 70, further axial buff cushioning may be provided by the mechanical coupling member until the cylinder 114 goes solid against the second follower plate 112.

If run-out train action forces are occasioned on the coupler unit the housing 70 will be pulled from a left to right by the coupler arm 98 acting through the mechanical draft gear 80. Movement of the housing will be hydraulically impeded by closing of the draft valve 402. Once the housing 70, however, has gone solid with the draft abutment stops 64 and 68, futher movement of the hydraulic unit is prevented and thus the hydraulic cylinder is prevented from overtravel in the draft direction. At this point in time there still may remain some axial draft cushioning of the mechanical draft gear to further cushion draft forces. Once, however, the second follower plate 112 has gone solid with the cylindrical spacer 114, further axial draft cushioning is eliminated and the mechanical unit is protected in draft from overtravel.

Once the train action forces are relieved from the system, the draft valve 402 is biased into an open posture, note FIG. 17, and the restoring springs 92 are free to restore the housing 70 to the normal position, note FIG. 2, without encountering substanital impedance from the hydraulic draft valv In the event of sustained dynamic braking or pusher service, adjacent railway units 20 and 22 may assume a misaligned posture such as illustrated in FIG. 7. This misalignment may be automatically self-corrected with the subject coupling assembly by the provision of the laterally projecting abutments 160 on the coupler arm which serve to transfer the line of pushing force between adjacent units to a side of the pivot points of adjacent trucks of the units to realign the railway vehicles with the centerline of the track. This realignment is facilitated by the capacity of the housing 70 to translate against the bias of springs 92 and the hydraulic cushioning assembly 90.

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES A principal advantage of the invention resides in the capacity to combine in series mechanical and hydraulic cushioning units which are suitable to increase the coupling speed of locomotives percent or more. In this connection, axial cushioning is provided both by the mechanical unit and by the hydraulic unit. Therefore the previous maximum safe coupling speed of 2 miles per hour may be increased up to 5 miles per hour without damaging the coupling or underframe assembly of the locomotive.

A further significant advantage involves the provision for run-in and run-out control for a coupling assembly in combination with backup axial cushioning in both of the buff and draft directions once the hydraulic unit has gone solid.

Another principal advantage of the present invention resides in the provision for alignment control for a railway vehicle which is materially facilitated in a synergistic manner by the capability of the housing 70 to axially translate and thus facilitate aligning counter rotation of adjacent coupled railway units.

Yet another significant aspect of the invention is the provision of a compact and completely enhoused series-connected hydraulic and mechanical cushioning assembly which will be free from collection of dirt and foreign objects which may interfere with efficient operation. In the same vein, however, the subject invention may be advantageously and quickly disassembled for servicing and replacement of the individual cushioning units.

Yet another significant advantage of the invention resides in the provision of a novel cushioning assembly that combines in series hydraulic and mechanical cushioning units for action in both the buff and draft directions wherein the possibility of overtravel of either the hydraulic unit or the mechanical unit is eliminated.

While the invention has been specifically illustrated for utilization with railway locomotive units it will be appreciated that the subject invention may be advantageously utilized with other articulated vehicles where coupling, train action, or alignment control presents a problem.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions, deletions, modifications and substitutions, or other changes not specifically described may be made which will fall within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus comprising:

sill means directly connectable to and generally longitudinally alignable with a locomotive underframe and including,

a first side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe,

a second side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with said first side wall, and

buff backstop means operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending between said first and second side walls at one of the ends thereof;

draft stop means connected within said sill means to the other end of said first and second side walls of said sill means;

cushioning housing means positioned within said sill means for translation between said buff backstop and said draft stop means, said cushioning housing having a mechanical cushioning and alignment cavity, and

a hydraulic cushioning cavity, longitudinally aligned with respect to said mechanical cushioning cavity;

mechanical cushioning means positioned within said cushioning and alignment cavity;

yoke means surrounding said mechanical cushioning means for imparting draft and buff forces into said mechanical cushioning means;

a drawbar pivotally connected to said yoke means and capable of lateral swinging to positions of angularity relative to said sill means;

abutment shoulders extending outwardly on opposite sides of said drawbar;

individually acting thrust-transmitting members positioned adjacent said yoke, one extending between said mechanical means and each of said abutment shoulders;

cylinder means coaxially extending within said hydraulic cushionion cavity;

first cylinder head means connected to the draft end of said cylinder means;

second cylinder head means connected to the buff end of said cylinder means whereby a highpressure fluid cavity is formed within the interior of said cylinder means. and a relatively lower pressure fluid cavity is formed within saiid hydraulic cushioning cavity coaxially surrounding said cylinder means;

piston means received for translation within said cylinder means between said first and second cylinder head means;

a piston rod' connected at one end to said piston means within said cylinder means and tranlatably extending through said first cylinder head means;

anchoring means positioned within said buff backstop means for anchoring the other end of said piston rod in a fixed longitudinally posture with respect to said sill means;

means for permitting the passage of fluid from said low pressure fluid cavity to said high pressure fluid cavity at either end of said cylinder means while simultaneously preventing the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity of said low pressure fluid cavity;

means for permitting the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity, with a first impedance in response to coupling force induced relative movement of said piston means within said cylinder means, and with a second impedance greater than said first impedance in response to run-in train action force induced relative movement of said piston within said cylinder means; and means for biasing said cushioning housing means into engagement with said draft stop means.

2. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for permitting the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity comprises:

port means carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and piston means; and

a valve mechanism carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede a flow of fluid moving out of the interior of said cylinder means through said port means and into said low pressure fluid cavity in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means,

said valve mechanism including valve closing means operable in response to fluid flow through said port means caused by run-in train action to restrict flow through at least a portion of said port means in response to run-in train action events,

said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to flow through said port means caused by coupling forces, to substantially isolate said valve closing means from fluid flow through said port means and maintain at least said portion of said port means substantially open, and

yieldable biasing means operable to maintain at least said portion of said port means continuously open in the absence of forces acting on said coupling member and during operation of said disabling means in order to provide a relatively low impedance to flow through said port means.

3. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for permitting the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity comprises:

a plurality of port means intersecting a cylindrical wall of said cylinder means and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and piston means; and

at least one valve mechanism carried by said cylindrical wall and operable to impede a flow of fluid moving out of the interior of said cylinder means through at least one of said port means and into said low pressure cavity in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means, said valve mechanism including valve closing means operable in response to fluid flow through said port means caused by run-in train action to restrict flow through at least a portion of said port means in response to run-in train action events, said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to flow through said port means caused by buff coupling forces, to substantially isolate said valve closing means from fluid flow through said port means and maintain at least said portion of said port means open, and yieldable biasing means operable to maintain at least said portion of said port means continuously open in the absence of forces acting on said coupling member and during operation of said disabling means in order to provide a relatively low impedance to flow through said port means. 4. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said plurality of port means intersecting the cylindrical wall of said cylinder means are spaced in exponential pattern extending generally longitudinally of said cylinder means; and said plurality of ports are each provided with one of said valve mechanisms. 5. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said plurality of port means intersecting said cylindrical wall extends in the exponential pattern from a buff face of said piston means when said piston means is positioned at the draft end of said cylinder means in a decreasing longitudinally spaced array to the buff end of said cylinder means and wherein the total longitudinal extent of said plurality of port means is less than the longitudinal depth of said piston means so that when said piston means is positioned at the buff end of said cylinder all of said plurality of port means are covered by said piston means.

6. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 and further comprising:

port means formed through said cylinder means at the draft end of said cylinder means for permitting fluid to flow from said high pressure cavity to said low pressure cavity in response to draft force induced relative movement of said piston within said cylinder means.

7. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 6 and further comprising:

controlvalve means operable to control flow through said port means, said control valve meansbeing operable, in response to run-out train action event forces acting on said drawbar to substantially restrict fluid flow through said port means, and

said control valve means being operable to maintain said port means substantially open in response to force imposed on said drawbar by said meansfor biasing said cushioning housing means into engagement with said draft stop means.

8. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said anchoring means comprises:

a bearing head connected to the other end of said piston rod and including a pair of outwardly projecting spherical segment surfaces;

a first bearing plate having on one face an inwardly projecting spherical segmental surface for abutting one of said pair of bearing head spherical segment surfaces and abutting on the other face thereof a first wall of a cavity within said buff backstop means; and

a second bearing plate having on one face an inwardly projecting spherical segmental surface for abutting the other of said pair of bearing head spherical segment surfaces and abutting on the other face thereof a second wall of said cavity within said buff backstop means opposing first wall whereby nonaxially directed stresses within said piston rod may be automatically relieved.

9. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for biasing said cushioning housing means into engagement with said draft stop means comprises:

a plurality of compression springs longitudinally extending into said cushioning housing and into abutments within said cushioning housing at one of the ends of said springs and into abutment with said buff backstop means at the other of the ends of said springs.

10. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus comprising:

sill means operably directly connectable to and longitudinally alignable with a locomotive underframe and including, i

a first side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe, and

a second side wall operable for normally projecting movement of said first and second followers with respect to each other, and

a spacer cylinder coaxially surrounding said cushioning means and having an axial dimension less than downwardly from the locomotive underframe the axial dimension of said cushioning means and extending in a spaced parallel posture coexwhereby said cushioning means may be comtensively with said first sidewall, pressed until said first and second follower means buff backstop means operable for normally projectgo solid with the opposite ends of said spacer cylining downwardly from the locomotive underframe der; and extending between and spanning said first and yoke means positioned within said cushioning houssecond side walls of said sill means at a buff end ing means and surrounding said mechanical cushthereof; ioning means; draft stop means connected within said sill means to said drawbar means being pivotally connected to said the other end of said first and second side walls of yoke means and capable of lateral swinging to posisaid sill means; tions of angularity relative to said sill means; drawbar means having a shank end thereof extending abutment shoulders extending on opposite sides of into the draft end of said sill, said drawbar; mechanical cushioning and alignment means posiindividually acting thrust-transmitting members cartioned within said sill means at the draft end ried by said yoke, one extending between said first thereof, and being pivotally connected to the shank 2O follower means and each of said abutment shoulend of the drawbar, for axially cushioning both buff derswhereby buff forces in said coupling bar will and draft forces imparted thereto'by said drawbar serve to push said first follower plate toward said and for generally axially aligning said drawbar pivsecond follower plate until said spacer cylinder otally connected thereto with the central longitudigoes solid between said follower plates and draft nal axis of the locomotive; cushioning housing forces in said coupling bar will serve to pull said means positioned within said sill means, including second follower plate toward said first follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between first inwardly extending abutment means at the said follower plate and whereby swinging movedraft end thereof, and ment of said drawbar will be counteracted by said second inwardly extending abutment means at the buff end thereof,

said mechanical cushioning means extending within said cushioning housing means between said first and second abutment means,

said mechanical cushioning means being operable to cushion draft forces imparted thereto by said drawbar by compressing said mechanical cushioning means against said first inwardly extending abutment means of said cushioning housing means,

said mechanical cushioning means being further operable to cushion buff forces imparted thereto by said drawbar by compressing said mechanical cushioning means against said second inwardly extending abutment means of said cushioning housing means, and

hydraulic cushioning means extending within said sill means and being connected between said buff backstop means and said cushioning housing thrust-transmitting members canting against said cushioning means.

12. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said cushioning means comprises:

a rubber draft gear.

13. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said cushioning means comprises:

a friction draft gear.

14. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises:

cylinder means connected to said buff backstop means and extending within said railway sill; piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means;

rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said mechanical cushioning and alignmeans for cushioning in series with said mechanical ment means; and cushioning means both buff and draft forces imanchor means connected to said mechanical cushionparted thereto and wherein overtravel of said hying and alignment means and to said rod means draulic cushioning means in draft is prevented by whereby relative movement between said piston said cushioning housing means abutting against means and said cylinder means is produced by said draft stop means and overtravel of said hytranslation of said piston means within said cylindraulic cushioning means in buff is prevented by der means in response to translation of said mesaid cushioning housing means abutting against chanical cushioning and alignment means within said buff backstop means. said railway sill,

11. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as de- 15. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises:

fined in claim 10 wherein said mechanical cushioning and alignment means comprises:

first follower means operable for abutment against said first abutment means,

second follower means operable for abutment against said second abutment means,

cushioning means extending between said first and second follower means for permitting cushioned cylinder means connected to the buff end of said mechanical cushioning and alignment means;

piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means;

rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said buff backstop means; and

anchor means connected to said rod means and said buff backstop means to fix axial movement of said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said cylinder means in response to translation of said mechaincal cushioning and alignment means within said railway sill means.

16. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises:

outer cylinder means;

inner cylinder means contained within said outer cylinder means;

said inner cylinder means containing a high pressure cavity;

said inner and outer cylinder means being spaced to define a relatively low pressure cavity;

piston means mounted within said inner cylinder means;

piston rod means passing axially through a first end of said outer cylinder means and an adjacent first end of said inner cylinder means;

said piston rod means terminating at one end in fixed connection with one side of said piston means;

said piston rod means terminating at the other end within an anchor means connected to said buff backstop means;

said inner cylinder means including afirst cylinder head meansdisposed at the buff end of said inner cylinder means;

said inner cylinder means including a second cylinder head means disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means and facing another side of said piston means opposite to said one side;

generally annular check valve means carried by each of said first and second cylinder head means, and operable to open by moving generally away from said first and second cylinder head means and toward said piston means;

passage means providing fluid communication between said low pressure cavity and said check valve means;

resilient restoring means tending to resiliently position said piston means at the draft extremity of said inner cylinder means;

a plurality of first port means formed in said inner cylinder means, spaced generally exponentially of the longitudinal axis of said inner cylinder means, and disposed between said another side of said piston means in the draft position and said second cylinder head means;

first control valve means controlling fluid flow through each of said first port means and operable to permit fluid flow from said high pressure cavity to said low pressure cavity;

each of said first control valve means being operable to substantially restrict fluid flow through its associated first port means in response to run-in train action event forces acting on said drawbar, and operable to maintain its associated port means substantially unobstructed in response to buff coupling forces acting on said drawbar;

second port means formed in said inner cylinder means and disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means;

second control valve means operable to control fluid flow through said second port means; and said second control valve means being operable, in response to run-out train action event forces acting on said drawbar to substantially restrict fluid flow through said second port means, said second control valve means being operable to maintain said second port means substantially open in response to restoring force imposed on said hydraulic cushioning means. 17. A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: railway sill means including,

a first side wall, a second side wall extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with said first side wall, and buff backstop means extending between and fixedly connected to said side walls at one of the ends thereof; draft stop means connected within said sill means to the other of the ends of said first and second side walls of said sill means; cushioning housing means positioned within said sill means for translation between said buff backstop and said draft stop means,

said cushioning housing including first inwardly extending abutment means at the draft end thereof, and second inwardly extending abutment means longitudinally positioned toward the buff end of said housing means with respect to said first inwardly extending abutment means; mechanical cushioning means extending within said cushioning housing between said first and second abutment means, and including first follower means operable for abutment against said first abutment means, second follower means operable for abutment against said second abutment means, cushioning means extending between said first and second follower means for permitting cushioned movement of said first and second follower with respect to each other, and a spacer cylinder coaxially surrounding said cushioning means and having an axial dimension less than the axial dimension of said cushioning means whereby said cushioning means may be compressed until said first and second follower means goes solid with the opposite ends of said spacer cylinder; yoke means positioned within said cushioning housing and surrounding said mechanical cushioning means; coupling bar means pivotally-connected to said yoke means whereby buff forces in said coupling bar will serve to push said first follower plate toward said second follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between said follower plates and draft forces in said coupling bar will serve to pull said second follower plate toward said first follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between said follower plates; and hydraulic cushioning means extending within said sill means between said cushioninghousing means and said buff backstop means to cushion in series with said mechanical draft gear both buff and draft forces imposed by said coupling bar, wherein overtravel of said hydraulic cushioning means is prevented by said cushioning housing means going solid with said buff backstop means in response to buff forces and by said cushioning housing means going solid with said draft stop means in response to draft forces.

18. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises:

cylinder means connected to said buff backstop means and extending within said railway sill;

piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means;

rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said cushioning housing; and

anchor means connected to said cushioning housing and to said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said piston means within said cylinder means in response to translation of said cushioning housing within said railway sill.

19. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises:

cylinder means integrally formed within the buff end of said cushioning housing means; I

piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means;

rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said buff backstop means; and

anchor means connected to said rod means and said buff backstop means to fix axial movement of said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said cylinder means in response to translation of said cushioning housing within said railway sill means.

20. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further comprising:

a plurality of compression spring means extending between said buff backstop means and the buff end of said cushioning housing to normally bias the draft end of said cushioning housing into abutting engagement with said draft stop means.

21. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further comprising:

port means carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and piston means; i I

cavity means external of said cylinder means operable to receive a flow of fluid through said port means from the interior of said cylinder means; and

a valve mechanism carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede a flow of fluid moving out of the interior of said cylinder means through said port means and into said cylinder means in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means; said valve mechanism including valve closing means operable in response to fluid flow through i said port means caused by run-in train action to restrict flow through at least a portion of said port means in response to run-in train action events;

said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to flow through said port means caused by buff coupling forces, to substantially isolate said valve closing means from fluid flow through said port means and maintain at least said portion of said port means substantially open, and yieldable biasing means operable to maintain at least said portion of said port means continuously open in the absence of forces acting on said coupling member and during operation of said disabling means in order to provide a relatively low impedance to flow through said port means.

22. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further comprising:

a plurality of ports intersecting the wall of said cylinder means, said ports being spaced in an exponential pattern extending generally longitudinally of said cylinder means, and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and said piston means;

cavity means external of said cylinder means and operable to receive a flow of fluid through said plurality of port means from the interior of said cylinder means; and each port thereof being provided with a valve mechanismoperable to control a flow of fluid moving out of said cylinder means in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means, each said valve'mechanism including means operable to restrict flow through its associated port means in response to run-in train action events, and

each said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to buff coupling forces, to maintain its associated port means fully open.

23. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises:

outer cylinder means integral with said cushioning housing at the buff end thereof;

inner cylinder means contained within said outer cylinder means,

said inner and outer cylinder means being spaced to define a relatively low pressure cavity, piston means mounted within said inner cylinder means; I

piston rod means passing axially through a first end of said outer cylinder means and an adjacent first end of said inner cylinder means; said piston rod means terminating at one end in fixed connection with one side of said piston means;

said piston rod means terminating at the other end within an anchor means connected to said buff backstop means;

said inner cylinder means including first cylinder head means disposed at the buff end of said inner cylinder means;

said inner cylinder means including a second cylinder head means disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means and facing another side of said piston opposite to said one side; generally annular check valve means carried by each of said first and second cylinder head means, and 

1. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus comprising: sill means directly connectable to and generally longitudinally alignable with a locomotive underframe and including, a first side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe, a second side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with said first side wall, and buff backstop means operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending between said first and second side walls at one of the ends thereof; draft stop means connected within said sill means to the other end of said first and second side walls of said sill means; cushioning housing means positioned within said sill means for translation between said buff backstop and said draft stop means, said cushioning housing having a mechanical cushioning and alignment cavity, and a hydraulic cushioning cavity, longitudinally aligned with respect to said mechanical cushioning cavity; mechanical cushioning means positioned within said cushioning and alignment cavity; yoke means surrounding said mechanical cushioning means for imparting draft and buff forces into said mechanical cushioning means; a drawbar pivotally connected to said yoke means and capable of lateral swinging to positions of angularity relative to said sill means; abutment shoulders extending outwardly on opposite sides of said drawbar; individually acting thrust-transmitting members positioned adjacent said yoke, one extending between said mechanical means and each of said abutment shoulders; cylinder means coaxially extending within said hydraulic cushionion cavity; first cylinder head means connected to the draft end of said cylinder means; second cylinder head means connected to the buff end of said cylinder means whereby a high pressure fluid cavity is formed within the interior of said cylinder means and a relatively lower pressure fluid cavity is formed within saiid hydraulic cushioning cavity coaxially surrounding said cylinder means; piston means received for translation within said cylinder means between said first and second cylinder head means; a piston rod connected at one end to said piston means within said cylinder means and tranlatably extending through said first cylinder head means; anchoring means positioned within said buff backstop means for anchoring the other end of said piston rod in a fixed longitudinally posture with respect to said sill means; means for permitting the passage of fluid from said low pressure fluid cavity to said high pressure fluid cavity at either end of said cylinder means while simultaneously preventing the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity of said low pressure fluid cavity; means for permitting the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity, with a first impedance in response to coupling force induced relative movement of said piston means within said cylinder means, and with a second impedance greater than said first impedance in response to run-in train action force induced relative movement of said piston within said cylinder means; and means for biasing said cushioning housing means into engagement with said draft stop means.
 2. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for permitting the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity comprises: port means carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and piston means; and a valve mechanism carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede a flow of fluid moving out of the interior of said cylinder means through said port means and into said low pressure fluid cavity in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means, said valve mechanism includinG valve closing means operable in response to fluid flow through said port means caused by run-in train action to restrict flow through at least a portion of said port means in response to run-in train action events, said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to flow through said port means caused by coupling forces, to substantially isolate said valve closing means from fluid flow through said port means and maintain at least said portion of said port means substantially open, and yieldable biasing means operable to maintain at least said portion of said port means continuously open in the absence of forces acting on said coupling member and during operation of said disabling means in order to provide a relatively low impedance to flow through said port means.
 3. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for permitting the flow of fluid from said high pressure fluid cavity to said low pressure fluid cavity comprises: a plurality of port means intersecting a cylindrical wall of said cylinder means and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and piston means; and at least one valve mechanism carried by said cylindrical wall and operable to impede a flow of fluid moving out of the interior of said cylinder means through at least one of said port means and into said low pressure cavity in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means, said valve mechanism including valve closing means operable in response to fluid flow through said port means caused by run-in train action to restrict flow through at least a portion of said port means in response to run-in train action events, said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to flow through said port means caused by buff coupling forces, to substantially isolate said valve closing means from fluid flow through said port means and maintain at least said portion of said port means open, and yieldable biasing means operable to maintain at least said portion of said port means continuously open in the absence of forces acting on said coupling member and during operation of said disabling means in order to provide a relatively low impedance to flow through said port means.
 4. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 3 wherein: said plurality of port means intersecting the cylindrical wall of said cylinder means are spaced in exponential pattern extending generally longitudinally of said cylinder means; and said plurality of ports are each provided with one of said valve mechanisms.
 5. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 4 wherein: said plurality of port means intersecting said cylindrical wall extends in the exponential pattern from a buff face of said piston means when said piston means is positioned at the draft end of said cylinder means in a decreasing longitudinally spaced array to the buff end of said cylinder means and wherein the total longitudinal extent of said plurality of port means is less than the longitudinal depth of said piston means so that when said piston means is positioned at the buff end of said cylinder all of said plurality of port means are covered by said piston means.
 6. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 and further comprising: port means formed through said cylinder means at the draft end of said cylinder means for permitting fluid to flow from said high pressure cavity to said low pressure cavity in response to draft force induced relative movement of said piston within said cylinder means.
 7. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 6 and further comprising: control valve means operable to control flow through said port means, said control valve means being operable, in response to run-out train action event forces acting on said drawbar to substantially restrict fluid flow through said port means, and said control valve means being operable to maintain said port means substantially open in response to force imposed on said drawbar by said means for biasing said cushioning housing means into engagement with said draft stop means.
 8. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said anchoring means comprises: a bearing head connected to the other end of said piston rod and including a pair of outwardly projecting spherical segment surfaces; a first bearing plate having on one face an inwardly projecting spherical segmental surface for abutting one of said pair of bearing head spherical segment surfaces and abutting on the other face thereof a first wall of a cavity within said buff backstop means; and a second bearing plate having on one face an inwardly projecting spherical segmental surface for abutting the other of said pair of bearing head spherical segment surfaces and abutting on the other face thereof a second wall of said cavity within said buff backstop means opposing first wall whereby nonaxially directed stresses within said piston rod may be automatically relieved.
 9. A railway locomotive cushioning means as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for biasing said cushioning housing means into engagement with said draft stop means comprises: a plurality of compression springs longitudinally extending into said cushioning housing and into abutments within said cushioning housing at one of the ends of said springs and into abutment with said buff backstop means at the other of the ends of said springs.
 10. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus comprising: sill means operably directly connectable to and longitudinally alignable with a locomotive underframe and including, a first side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe, and a second side wall operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with said first sidewall, buff backstop means operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending between and spanning said first and second side walls of said sill means at a buff end thereof; draft stop means connected within said sill means to the other end of said first and second side walls of said sill means; drawbar means having a shank end thereof extending into the draft end of said sill, mechanical cushioning and alignment means positioned within said sill means at the draft end thereof, and being pivotally connected to the shank end of the drawbar, for axially cushioning both buff and draft forces imparted thereto by said drawbar and for generally axially aligning said drawbar pivotally connected thereto with the central longitudinal axis of the locomotive; cushioning housing means positioned within said sill means, including first inwardly extending abutment means at the draft end thereof, and second inwardly extending abutment means at the buff end thereof, said mechanical cushioning means extending within said cushioning housing means between said first and second abutment means, said mechanical cushioning means being operable to cushion draft forces imparted thereto by said drawbar by compressing said mechanical cushioning means against said first inwardly extending abutment means of said cushioning housing means, said mechanical cushioning means being further operable to cushion buff forces imparted thereto by said drawbar by compressing said mechanical cushioning means against said second inwardly extending abutment means of said cushioning housing means, and hydraulic cushioning means extending within said sill means and being connected between said buff backstop means and said cushioning housing means for cushioning in series with said mechanical cushioning means both buff and draft forces imparted thereto and wherein overtravel of said hydraulic cushioning means in draft is prevented by said cushioning housing means abutting against said draft stop means and overtravel of said hydraulic cushioning means in buff is prevented by said cushioning housing means abutting against said buff backstop means.
 11. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said mechanical cushioning and alignment means comprises: first follower means operable for abutment against said first abutment means, second follower means operable for abutment against said second abutment means, cushioning means extending between said first and second follower means for permitting cushioned movement of said first and second followers with respect to each other, and a spacer cylinder coaxially surrounding said cushioning means and having an axial dimension less than the axial dimension of said cushioning means whereby said cushioning means may be compressed until said first and second follower means go solid with the opposite ends of said spacer cylinder; yoke means positioned within said cushioning housing means and surrounding said mechanical cushioning means; said drawbar means being pivotally connected to said yoke means and capable of lateral swinging to positions of angularity relative to said sill means; abutment shoulders extending on opposite sides of said drawbar; individually acting thrust-transmitting members carried by said yoke, one extending between said first follower means and each of said abutment shoulders whereby buff forces in said coupling bar will serve to push said first follower plate toward said second follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between said follower plates and draft forces in said coupling bar will serve to pull said second follower plate toward said first follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between said follower plate and whereby swinging movement of said drawbar will be counteracted by said thrust-transmitting members canting against said cushioning means.
 12. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said cushioning means comprises: a rubber draft gear.
 13. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said cushioning means comprises: a friction draft gear.
 14. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises: cylinder means connected to said buff backstop means and extending within said railway sill; piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means; rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said mechanical cushioning and alignment means; and anchor means connected to said mechanical cushioning and alignment means and to said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said piston means within said cylinder means in response to translation of said mechanical cushioning and alignment means within said railway sill.
 15. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises: cylinder means connected to the buff end of said mechanical cushioning and alignment means; piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means; rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said buff backstop means; and anchor means connected to said rod means and said buff backstop means to fix axial movement of said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said cylinder means in response to translation of said mechaincal cushioning and alignment means within said railway sill means.
 16. A railway locomotive cushioning apparatus as defined in clAim 10 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises: outer cylinder means; inner cylinder means contained within said outer cylinder means; said inner cylinder means containing a high pressure cavity; said inner and outer cylinder means being spaced to define a relatively low pressure cavity; piston means mounted within said inner cylinder means; piston rod means passing axially through a first end of said outer cylinder means and an adjacent first end of said inner cylinder means; said piston rod means terminating at one end in fixed connection with one side of said piston means; said piston rod means terminating at the other end within an anchor means connected to said buff backstop means; said inner cylinder means including a first cylinder head means disposed at the buff end of said inner cylinder means; said inner cylinder means including a second cylinder head means disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means and facing another side of said piston means opposite to said one side; generally annular check valve means carried by each of said first and second cylinder head means, and operable to open by moving generally away from said first and second cylinder head means and toward said piston means; passage means providing fluid communication between said low pressure cavity and said check valve means; resilient restoring means tending to resiliently position said piston means at the draft extremity of said inner cylinder means; a plurality of first port means formed in said inner cylinder means, spaced generally exponentially of the longitudinal axis of said inner cylinder means, and disposed between said another side of said piston means in the draft position and said second cylinder head means; first control valve means controlling fluid flow through each of said first port means and operable to permit fluid flow from said high pressure cavity to said low pressure cavity; each of said first control valve means being operable to substantially restrict fluid flow through its associated first port means in response to run-in train action event forces acting on said drawbar, and operable to maintain its associated port means substantially unobstructed in response to buff coupling forces acting on said drawbar; second port means formed in said inner cylinder means and disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means; second control valve means operable to control fluid flow through said second port means; and said second control valve means being operable, in response to run-out train action event forces acting on said drawbar to substantially restrict fluid flow through said second port means, said second control valve means being operable to maintain said second port means substantially open in response to restoring force imposed on said hydraulic cushioning means.
 17. A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: railway sill means including, a first side wall, a second side wall extending in a spaced parallel posture coextensively with said first side wall, and buff backstop means extending between and fixedly connected to said side walls at one of the ends thereof; draft stop means connected within said sill means to the other of the ends of said first and second side walls of said sill means; cushioning housing means positioned within said sill means for translation between said buff backstop and said draft stop means, said cushioning housing including first inwardly extending abutment means at the draft end thereof, and second inwardly extending abutment means longitudinally positioned toward the buff end of said housing means with respect to said first inwardly extending abutment means; mechanical cushioning means extending within said cushioning housing between said first and second abutment means, and including first follower means operable for abutment against said first abutment means, second Follower means operable for abutment against said second abutment means, cushioning means extending between said first and second follower means for permitting cushioned movement of said first and second follower with respect to each other, and a spacer cylinder coaxially surrounding said cushioning means and having an axial dimension less than the axial dimension of said cushioning means whereby said cushioning means may be compressed until said first and second follower means goes solid with the opposite ends of said spacer cylinder; yoke means positioned within said cushioning housing and surrounding said mechanical cushioning means; coupling bar means pivotally connected to said yoke means whereby buff forces in said coupling bar will serve to push said first follower plate toward said second follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between said follower plates and draft forces in said coupling bar will serve to pull said second follower plate toward said first follower plate until said spacer cylinder goes solid between said follower plates; and hydraulic cushioning means extending within said sill means between said cushioning housing means and said buff backstop means to cushion in series with said mechanical draft gear both buff and draft forces imposed by said coupling bar, wherein overtravel of said hydraulic cushioning means is prevented by said cushioning housing means going solid with said buff backstop means in response to buff forces and by said cushioning housing means going solid with said draft stop means in response to draft forces.
 18. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises: cylinder means connected to said buff backstop means and extending within said railway sill; piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means; rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said cushioning housing; and anchor means connected to said cushioning housing and to said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said piston means within said cylinder means in response to translation of said cushioning housing within said railway sill.
 19. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises: cylinder means integrally formed within the buff end of said cushioning housing means; piston means operable for translation within the interior of said cylinder means; rod means connected to said piston means and extending to said buff backstop means; and anchor means connected to said rod means and said buff backstop means to fix axial movement of said rod means whereby relative movement between said piston means and said cylinder means is produced by translation of said cylinder means in response to translation of said cushioning housing within said railway sill means.
 20. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further comprising: a plurality of compression spring means extending between said buff backstop means and the buff end of said cushioning housing to normally bias the draft end of said cushioning housing into abutting engagement with said draft stop means.
 21. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further comprising: port means carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and piston means; cavity means external of said cylinder means operable to receive a flow of fluid through said port means from the interior of said cylinder means; and a valve mechanism carried by said cylinder means and operable to impede a flow of fluid moving out of the interior of said cylinder means through said port means and into said cylinder means in response to buff force induced, relative moVement between said piston means and cylinder means; said valve mechanism including valve closing means operable in response to fluid flow through said port means caused by run-in train action to restrict flow through at least a portion of said port means in response to run-in train action events; said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to flow through said port means caused by buff coupling forces, to substantially isolate said valve closing means from fluid flow through said port means and maintain at least said portion of said port means substantially open, and yieldable biasing means operable to maintain at least said portion of said port means continuously open in the absence of forces acting on said coupling member and during operation of said disabling means in order to provide a relatively low impedance to flow through said port means.
 22. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 19 and further comprising: a plurality of ports intersecting the wall of said cylinder means, said ports being spaced in an exponential pattern extending generally longitudinally of said cylinder means, and operable to impede an outward flow of fluid from the interior of said cylinder means in response to relative movement between said cylinder means and said piston means; cavity means external of said cylinder means and operable to receive a flow of fluid through said plurality of port means from the interior of said cylinder means; and each port thereof being provided with a valve mechanism operable to control a flow of fluid moving out of said cylinder means in response to buff force induced, relative movement between said piston means and cylinder means, each said valve mechanism including means operable to restrict flow through its associated port means in response to run-in train action events, and each said valve mechanism additionally including disabling means operable, in response to buff coupling forces, to maintain its associated port means fully open.
 23. A railway cushioning apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said hydraulic cushioning means comprises: outer cylinder means integral with said cushioning housing at the buff end thereof; inner cylinder means contained within said outer cylinder means, said inner and outer cylinder means being spaced to define a relatively low pressure cavity, piston means mounted within said inner cylinder means; piston rod means passing axially through a first end of said outer cylinder means and an adjacent first end of said inner cylinder means; said piston rod means terminating at one end in fixed connection with one side of said piston means; said piston rod means terminating at the other end within an anchor means connected to said buff backstop means; said inner cylinder means including first cylinder head means disposed at the buff end of said inner cylinder means; said inner cylinder means including a second cylinder head means disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means and facing another side of said piston opposite to said one side; generally annular check valve means carried by each of said first and second cylinder head means, and operable to open by moving generally away from said first and second cylinder head means and toward said piston means; passage means providing fluid communication between said low pressure cavity and said check valve means; resilient restoring means tending to resiliently position said piston means at the draft extremity of said inner cylinder means; a plurality of first port means formed in said inner cylinder means, spaced generally exponentially of the longitudinal axis of said inner cylinder means, and disposed between said another side of said piston means in the draft position and said second cylinder head means; first control valve means controlling fluid flow through each of said first port means and operable to permit Fluid flow from said high pressure cavity to said low pressure cavity; each of said first control valve means being operable to substantially restrict fluid flow through its associated first port means in response to run-in train action event forces acting on said coupling bar, and operable to maintain its associated port means substantiallly unobstructed in response to buff coupling forces acting on said coupling bar; second port means formed in said inner cylinder means and disposed at the draft end of said inner cylinder means; second control valve means operable to control fluid flow through said second port means; and said second control valve means being operable, in response to run-out train action forces acting on said coupling bar to substantially restrict fluid flow through said second port means, said second control valve means being operable to maintain said second port means substantially open in response to restoring force imposed on said hydraulic cushioning means.
 24. A method for controlling railway locomotive coupling forces train action phenomena, and locomotive misalignment with apparatus including: sill means having a buff end and a draft end and being operably directly connectable to and longitudinally alignable with a locomotive underframe, buff backstop means operable for normally projecting downwardly from the locomotive underframe and extending within said sill means at a buff end thereof; draft stop means connected within said sill means at a draft end thereof; drawbar means having a shank end thereof extending into the draft end of said sill, mechanical cushioning and alignment means positioned within said sill means at the draft end thereof, and being pivotally connected to the shank end of the drawbar, for axially cushioning both buff and draft forces imparted thereto by said drawbar and for generally axially aligning said drawbar pivotally connected thereto with the central longitudinal axis of the locomotive; and hydraulic cushioning means extending within said sill means and being connected between said buff backstop means and said mechanical cushioning and alignment means for cushioning in series with said mechanical cushioning means both buff and draft forces imparted thereto; the steps of said method comprising: in response to buff coupling forces input to said mechanical and hydraulic cushioning means by said drawbar means, cushioning the buff forces with a first level of impedance in said hydraulic cushioning means, and further cushioning the buff forces with mechanical cushioning means acting in series with said hydraulic cushioning means; in response to train action run-in forces input to said mechanical and hydraulic cushioning means by said drawbar means, cushioning the run-in forces with a second, higher, level of impedance in said hydraulic cushioning means, and further cushioning the run-in forces in said mechanical cushioning means acting in series with said hydraulic cushioning means; in response to train action run-out forces input to said mechanical and hydraulic cushioning means by said drawbar means, impeding the run-out forces with said hydraulic cushioning means with an impedance greater than the impedance of said hydraulic cushioning means during a hydraulic cushion restoring event; and cushioning the run-out forces with said mechanical cushioning means acting in series with said hydraulic cushioning means; in response to locomotive misalignment, creating a restoring force with said alignment means, and providing an axial translatory capacity under said second, higher level of impedance by said hydraulic cushioning means for permitting said alignment means to axially translate during an aligning action and thus facilitate restoring action. 